Ok. This one was a shocker. Maybe it's because I'm really into folk music right now, but I found this cast album to be thoroughly enjoyable. Traditional broadway singing, blues, soul, folk... this has is all. And the year is only 1944! This show was an Americana folk revue. It didn't even run that long. Fresh off of the success of OKLAHOMA!, Alfred Drake shows off his glorious voice ("Where" is particularly great- his crescendo on the last note is pretty impressive). I love the blues songs on side B with Juanita (Bali Ha'i) Hall and the 'spiritual ensemble' (????). The highlight for me, however, is Mr. Burl Ives. Of course we all know his Christmas album. In fact, that's all I knew of him. Little did I know that his roots were in the folk musical world, which is how he was showcased in this musical. With a simple guitar accompaniment, he delivers in a silk voice some of the best old folk songs I've heard. Truly a highlight. I wish the whole record was him singing folk songs. But then, that isn't very theatrical and cast recording-like. Which could be my one quibble. This is a great cast recording, but the songs really are just popular songs of the day (or past 100 years) and don't further any discernible plot at all.
GRADE: B+
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